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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. R. FARMER.

v CIRCUIT GLOSER AND BREAKER. No. 552,057. Patented Dec. 24, 189 5.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet J'. R. FARMER.

CIRCUIT GLOSER AND BREAKER.

. No. 552,057. Patented D. 2

AM, PHUYOLHHO WASKIN GTDN. DI).

UNITED STATES 3 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. FARMER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE FARMER ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CIRCUIT CLOS ER AND BREAKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,057, dated December 24., 1895.

Application filed January 25, 1895. Serial No. 536,224. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN R. FARMER, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Circuit Closers and Breakers, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a means of introducing a current of electricity through a lamp, said lamp adapted to serve as a danger or other signal on electric car-lines, and operated by the trolley-wheel of a passing car. I accomplish this object by use of the device illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure I illustrates a general view of my device, showing the apparatus for introducing a current through the lamp, and also showing the trolley, the lighting-wire, the lamp, and the apparatus for shutting off the current. Fig. II illustrates a side view of the apparatus by which a current of electricity is taken from the trolley and directed to the lamp. Fig. III illustrates a top view of the device shown in Fig. II. Fig. IV illustrates a top View of the armature and insulated plate through the line IV IV of Fig. II. Fig. V illustrates an end view of the armaturemagnet and insulated plate through the line V V of Fig. II. Fig. VI is a view similar to Fig. II, illustrating a short-circuiting contact.

The same numbers refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

1 is a plate of suitable conducting material suspended over the trolley.

2 2 are shoes, also of suitable conducting material, clamped above the trolley, serving as supports to the plate 1, but insulated therefrom.

3 is a contact-brush carried on the armature.

4 is a conducting-wire, in contact with'plate 1, leading to a magnet-coil 5.

6 is an armature secured to the support 7, directly below magnet 5. 7 is a support secured to shoe 2 and bearing magnet 5. This armature has electrical connection with the trolley-wire through the medium of its sup port 7, and together with its contact-brush 3, which is arranged to impinge on the connection 4, serves to keep the magnet supplied with current from the trolley after the armature is drawn up by the initialcurrent received from the contact-plate 1.

8 is the core and frame of the magnet.

9 is a conducting-wire leading to the lamp.

10 is a lamp of any suitable construction adapted to be lighted by the current of electricity passing from 9.

11 is the ground connection.

12 is a plate similar in curvature to 1 and fastened by shoes 13 13 above the trolley.

14 is a hood placed over the armature and magnet to protect the same.

15 is the trolley-wire, and 16 is the trolleywheel.

17 17 are insulators of anysuitable material.

18 is a conductingwire leading from plate 12 to lamp 10 to short-circuit magnet 5.

To operate my invention, the trolley-wheel 16, passing in the direction shown by the arrow, comes in contact with the plate 1. The wheel thereby furnishes the necessary con ductor to take a current of electricity from the trolley-wire to plate 1. The current then passes through wire 4 and magnet 5 and raises armature 6. This armature is held in position as long as the current flows through said magnet. The current passing on through wire 9 lights the lamp. The armature 6 being raised, the current for lighting the lamp is now taken directly from the trolley-Wire through shoe 2, support 7, armature 6,brush 3, and the magnet-coil, and until this current is cut off and the armature-brush 3 dropped by gravity the lamp will remain lighted. The trolley-wheel passing on to position shown in outline in Fig. I, comes in contact with the plate 12. This plate is connected with a wire 18, which is joined to wire 9, as shown in said Fig. I. The current which until this time is passing through the high-resistance circuit, including the reduced contact-brush 3 and the magnet-coils, to the lamp is thus short-circuited, which takes the current taken from 9 and causes armature-brush 3 to drop. .As long as the tro1ley wheel16 remains in contact with plate 12 the lamp will remain lighted; but plate 12 being insulated from its shoes 13 13 by insulators 17 1'7, as soon as the wheel passes from contact with plate 12 the current will be cut off from 18 and the lamp extinguished.

My invention is of especial use for operating a lamp hung at the intersection of streets to warn persons of the approach of a car before said car can be seen. By placing plate 1 a suitable distance back from the street intersection the lamp hung atsaid intersection will be lighted in sufficient time to enable any one to avoid danger. I do not, however, limit myself to this use.

I claim as my invention 1. In an electric circuit closer, the combination of a trolley wire, a contact plate placed parallel with the trolley wire, the circuit connecting said contact plate through an electro magnet with a signal lamp and a suitable return connection, the armature, having constant connection with the trolley wire, under control of the electro magnet, and adapted to close a circuit through said magnet and suit able means for dropping said armature from a distant point as explained.

2. In combination with a trolley wire and the shoes secured thereto, a conducting plate secured by said shoes in proximity to the trolley wire but insulated therefrom, an armature support-ed on one of the said shoes, and electrically connected therethrough to the trolley wire, a magnet also supported on one of said shoes and having its coil electrically con nected with the contact plate, and having contact for the armature when drawn up, and a lamp in electrical connection with the magnet coil substantially as described.

In combination with a trolley wire, a contact plate secured adjacent thereto but insulated therefrom, a circuit from said contact plate including an electro magnet, a signal lamp and suitable return connection, an armature fixed in working relation to the magnet, in constant electrical connection with the trolley wire, carrying a contact arranged to close the circuit from the magnet coils when attracted by said armature and asecond contact plate located adjacent to the trolley wire at a distant point but insulated therefrom and having electrical connection with the lamp circuit between the lamp and the magnet and adapted to short circuit the magnet and permit its armature to drop as explained.

JOHN R. FARMER. In presence of- N. FINLEY, STANLEY STONER. 

